Just reading the title of this post alone, has left me ‘awestruck’. Like, what is this? I am the last person that you can say will be accurately knowledgeable in the aspect of cars talk more of an element that keeps it moving. Hold on! Don’t give up on me yet. I may not have the professional insight to these lubricants, but be informed that there is an interesting twist to the title…
I did a mini-minute-small research on the advantage diesel has over fuel, and I was able to find quiet a lot; not that there are no disadvantages. But for the purpose of this post, just allow the disadvantages ‘to whisk into thin air’, like they do not exist. One advantage I will like to pinpoint is the fact that diesel sales are rising, and have overtaken petrol models for some manufacturers. Diesel-powered vehicles are on the rise. [Please temper justice with mercy, if my facts are not so accurate]
But here is the twist……
It was just a good day, when I had this thought of how diesel can be likened to Grace and petrol- Works.
Grace is popularly known to be God’s unmerited favour; which it is. A suitable definition, I was drawn to on Works is, the engaging in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose or result. The grace of God is a gift that every child of God is given, but not everyone accepts it. And what you do not have, you cannot give.
I have come to understand that the reality of our Christian walk is ‘lubricated’ with the grace of God. And one very vital aspect of the grace of God is its relationship with the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit works in and on us, we grow in the grace of God. In Zechariah 4:6-7, we get to see the relationship between the grace of God and the Holy Spirit…
[Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, this is the word of Jehovah unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain; and he shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it. ASV]
Grace is the work of the Holy Spirit in us. But, it is dangerous for a child of God to choose ‘Petrol’ [Works] rather than ‘Diesel’ [Grace/HolySpirit]:
- When your Christian walk is by works, you cannot yield abiding fruits. A key role that we Christians must partake in, if we say we are children of God is ‘Soul winning’ [Matthew 28: 19-20]. But a ‘fuel engine’ cannot win souls, this is because this person believes that his/her obedience to the word of God and all the spiritual activities has earned him/her a place in God and whoever seeks to come to God has to ‘do the work’ and it is not his/her place, to extend the good news as they are righteous and seek not to be polluted. Did you read about Jesus talking/eating/walking with sinners?
- When your Christian walk is by works, you will faint very easily. Accepting God into your life, does not make life easy, but it gives God the opportunity to carry the burden with you, build you up, and make you a shinning light for his glory. There are time when things will not be rosy, a ‘fuel engine’ will faint because he/she has the expectation of God making the ‘road’ rosy, because he/she has done XYZ[Works]. That’s why when you find someone who professes Christ, but at the first sign of a storm, they ‘turn back’, if you look closely, you’ll find a ‘fuel engine/worker’. Proverbs 24:10 says ‘if you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place’-MSG version. [You have to love the message version, it goes straight to the heart.lol] The ‘much’ a child of God needs to have is the Holy Spirit, if the Holy Spirit is not working in us, then we cannot say we are living the Christ-like life we are called to live.
- When your Christian walk is by works, you find yourself ‘in and out’ of sin more than constantly. As Christians, we are called to be like Christ. Christ walked on this earth, perfect, without sin. And Matthew 5:48 says this: ‘In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.’ Another version says, ‘be ye perfect, therefore, as they heavenly Father is perfect’. I know there are minds that debate the practicability of this passage, but one thing I’m convinced in my heart is the fact, that God will not ask of us, what is not attainable. But this perfection is not attainable in ‘fuel'[works], it is attainable in walking in the Spirit, in grace. Personally, I desire to get to this stage where I’m working in perfection by the grace of God. It is possible, but not by the works/strength of man.
On the advantage of Diesel over Petrol, I mentioned earlier, this can be related to a Christian whose walk is in grace and not works. Such believer will be a living sacrifice and do more of God’s will- rising, shining brighter and brighter.
There are so many other dangers of being a ‘fuel engine’, but I have just mentioned three in order not to make this post longer than this. Hopefully, I will post another continuing post on this.
One thing is certain- the grace of God is available for our benefit. Let us subdue ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and watch the glory of God manifest. Because the more we run this Christian race by works, the less manifestation of the children of God. Because God doesn’t dwell in ‘Fuel/Works’, he dwells in ‘Diesel/Grace/HolySpirit’.
Choose his grace, let the Spirit of God [Diesel] perform an overhaul in the ‘Petrol engine’!
So what other dangers have you come to understand is associated with ‘Petrol/Works’?
Chinomnso Precious
Photo Credit: Google.
Precious Thoughts! 
Grace also comes from knowing God…….Those that know their God shall be strong……….when you know the God you serve, You will trust in His ability and not yours…
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Trusting in God's ability is an element of grace indeed. Thank you for reading and commenting!
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A fascinating discussion is definitely worth comment.
I do think that you should write more on this issue,
it might not be a taboo subject but typically people do not discuss such issues.
To the next! All the best!!
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